Brotherly Love
by Elmblossom17
Summary: Futurefic; Yaoi, ShippoSouta-- Shippo has finally grown up. And now he and Souta both have to adjust to his new body and feelings... And that may be more difficult than they think.


Brotherly Love

by J. Robinson

04/xx/'03

Chapter One: What Has Gone Before

It had been nine years since the end of Inuyasha and Kagome's quest for the _Shikon no Tama_. Nine years since Inuyasha had used the jewel, with Kagome's cooperation, to make her into a half-dog-demon like himself. Many of the people who knew the two adventurers had been shocked with their use of the jewel, but they were both happy with their choice. It had actually been Kagome's idea; she had decided that she liked Inuyasha perfectly well as a _hanyou_, and didn't want to grow old and die long before he did, so they had hit upon the solution: to use it on her instead of the white-haired, amber-eyed half-demon.

Not long after the end of that quest, Inuyasha had surprised everyone by formally proposing marriage to Kagome. In demon terms, the two had been officially mated already, but by human standards they weren't, and Inuyasha knew Kagome wanted that. So he popped the question. They had two ceremonies; one in the village, so all their friends could attend, and one in Kagome's time, so her family could be there. The second ceremony, the modern day ceremony, was held on the evening of the new moon, with Inuyasha in full-human form.

Less than a year later, Inuyasha and Kagome's first child, a boy named Kagasha, was born. He was followed two years later by twin girls Inume and Kayame. Another two years after the births of the girls, Kagome gave birth to their second son, Inugosha, referred to as Inu-chan by most everybody. The young family settled down in a hut on the outskirts of Kaede's village, right on the border of the Sacred Forest.

All four children were half-dog-demons, naturally. Kagasha, the eldest son, was the spitting image of his father, white hair and amber eyes in hanyou form and black hair and violet eyes in human form. His monthly change occured on the night of the first crescent moon. Inugosha, or Inu-chan, had his mother's black hair and brown eyes, in both forms. His change always happened on the full moon. Inume, the elder twin girl by about twenty minutes, had black hair, with amber eyes. Her hair didn't change, though her eyes turned violet when she took on her full-human form. Kayame, the younger sister, had snowy-white hair and chocolate brown eyes. Her hair turned black when she went human, though her eyes remained the same. The girls both changed on the day of the new moon each month. Kagasha had his father's looks, but his mother's personality, while Inu-chan acted so much like his father that it irked his mother. The girls were mixes of both parents.

During the summers, Kagome's brother Souta would come and visit them through the well. It was purely by accident that it was discovered he could travel through it. When Kagome had been pregnant with the twins, he had fallen through by accident and been found wandering in the Sacred Forest by Inuyasha. It had deeply shocked everyone involved, especially Souta. But Kagome, surprisingly, had just smiled and invited him to stay over at their house. She'd missed her little brother.

Shippo had lived with the young family from the day they moved into the hut. He had no one else to care for him, except possibly Sango and Miroku, but Kagome vetoed that idea when she first heard it, citing the fact that Shippo saw her as his elder sister/mother-figure, and she wouldn't let Souta live with Miroku, so neither would Shippo be allowed to. Everyone pretty much agreed with her on that point. They wouldn't let their children or siblings live with the lecherous monk, either. After all, who wanted to see their brother or son grow up with Miroku as a role model? No, no, no.

After an excessively long courtship and engagement, Sango and Miroku had finally gotten married about a year after the birth of the twins. Their first child, a daughter, named Mira, had been born around the same time as Inu-chan. A second child, a son named Sanku, had been born roughly two years after that. Another son, named Kohaku after Sango's brother, had been born less than a year later. With their three children, Sango and Miroku lived in a large hut in Kaede's village. Their children, and Inuyasha and Kagome's brood, often played together. Although most of the other village children avoided the hanyou kids, as they found them 'scary.'

It was the summer after Souta turned 17 when everything changed.

Chapter Two: Things Change

Souta hoisted the straps of his bookbag over his shoulders and grinned over his shoulder at his grandfather. "I'm going for two months," he said clearly. His deep, manly voice- he still wasn't quite used to it, as it had only been a few months since it had stopped cracking- resonated on the wind like a very low bell. He was taller than his mother and his grandfather now; at six foot, three inches, he was the tallest person in his family, and that included his sister and her children.

"Two months is a long time," the old man replied. He stood hunched over in the door to the small shrine, leaning on a cane. "Come back every so often, just to let us know how you are," he said.

Souta smiled at his grandfather. He knew that the old man was unsure about him going through the well for such a long period. "I will, don't worry," he said smoothly. His grandfather nodded, and Souta turned toward the well. Stepping forward, he jumped up on to the wall, and closed his eyes before falling forward, trusting that he would not fall and hit the floor hard.

Seconds later, he stood up, dusting off the dirt on the knees of his khakis and chuckling. Going through the well always scared him a little bit. He swung his head up to look at the bright blue sky high above the well, and sighed happily. Visiting the Warring-States Period was better than any trip to the country. The land was still so beautiful, unspoiled, pure.

With a laugh at his poetic turn of mind, Souta began climbing up the rope ladder attached to the side of the well. As he reached the top, he looked around to see if anyone was there to greet him. He saw only the peaceful beauty of the forest, and sighed. He felt slightly let down that no one was there to meet him, but shrugged it off and headed down the dirt path leading through the Sacred Forest to the village.

Souta reached his sister's hut rather quickly after he began jogging, his years of cross-country track serving him in good stead. He smoothed his shirt, slightly nervous, before calling out, "Hey, is anyone home?"

A few moments later, Souta heard an excited voice from inside the hut. A small head appeared around the door jamb. "Uncle Souta!" shouted Inu-chan happily. He hopped out of the hut and threw himself at his uncle.

Souta, having been prepared for something like this, caught the small boy in his arms and hugged him tightly before putting him down again. "Hey there, buddy! Where is everybody?"

Inu-chan scowled momentarily before grinning widely at his beloved uncle. "Momma and Daddy went into the Forest to the Winter Den. The girls are at Kaede's for their lessons. Kaga-oniichan went to play with Sanku and Kohaku. I'm supposed to be there, too, but I didn't want to play so I came home."

Souta frowned. "You shouldn't have been left alone...."

"Awwww, Uncle Souta, I'm four years old! I can take care of myself!" The young hanyou's chest puffed up with pride.

Souta grinned and ruffled the kid's feathery black hair. "Sure you can, Inu-chan." Then his frown reappeared. "Where is Shippo? Isn't he supposed to watch you guys when Kagome and Inuyasha are away?"

Inu-chan's brown eyes darted toward the forest. He looked slightly guilty. "I think he went to the hot springs in the forest, Uncle," said the child nervously. "Don't be mad at him. He thought I would stay at Uncle Miroku's house!"

"Well, we'll just have to see about that," Souta said darkly. He was angry with the kitsune, and determined to find him and chew him out. "Why don't you go on back to Uncle Miroku's house? I'm going to go have a talk with Shippo."

Inu-chan made a face, but shrugged. "Ok. See you later!"

"Bye, Inu-chan," Souta said with a grin as he watched his youngest nephew scamper off into the village proper. Then, he set his bag down inside the door of Kagome and family's hut, and started off back down the path into the forest. The well was about halfway between the village and the hot springs. He was going to have to run if he wanted to catch Shippo.

Falling into an easy 6-minute-mile pace that he often used on his cross-country runs, Souta blanked his mind out and focused on the feeling of running. Sooner than he'd expected, he was sweating and panting for breath. Then the hot springs came into view.

Souta slowed down and huffed to regain his breath, leaning on a tree by the end of the path. He looked up as his breathrate slowed, and his eyes widened at what he saw.

A young man, totally naked, lay on the bank beside the hot springs, one leg casually bent at the knee and drawn up, the other laid out fully. His arms were crossed beneath his head, and his eyes were closed. He had delicately pointed ears, and his feet were clawed. Souta gaped in awe at the young demon's chiseled physique and stunning physical beauty. His slender, almost girlishly pretty face was turned toward the springs itself and Souta, standing by the head of the path, wondered why he looked so... vaguely familiar. The light blue haori with the white-feather pattern, yellow obi, and dark blue hakama draped over a nearby bush also looked familiar. Then, as Souta's wondering eyes fell on the young man's tan-furred tail, and flaming red hair, it came to him.

This was Shippo.

Souta was confused beyond anything. Last time he'd seen the fox demon, he'd been a child. Now he was a young man. A very handsome young man...Souta felt his face turn as red as Shippo's hair as he realized he was more than just slightly aroused by the fox demon's nude body.

Souta had first realized he liked boys when he was thirteen, when he developed a crush on a neighbor kid. He had tried to deny it at first, but when it didn't go away over time, he got used to the idea of being gay, and stopped lying to himself. He hadn't told very many people, yet. None of his family knew. In fact, the only person who knew was his best friend back in the modern world, a schoolmate named Aliashi Tengo. But he no longer pretended he was straight.

Now he was getting excited looking at Shippo.... Shippo, who had been like a cousin to him for years now. But as he looked at the sleeping (apparently) kitsune, Souta had to admit to himself that he was not feeling 'cousinly' toward the fox demon in the slightest.

Souta turned away, covering his eyes with his hands, and shouted, "Wake up!"

"Huh...?" he heard the sleepy reply, and the sounds of a person sitting up. "Souta...?"

"Hi, Shippo. Could you get dressed please? I want to talk to you." Souta knew he was blushing fiercely under his hand, and prayed that the fox demon wouldn't be able to smell it on him, or anything like that. Inuyasha had been able to smell things like that on him, but Souta didn't know if that might not be a trait particular to dog-demons.

"Oh.... Ok." The young demon's voice still sounded sleepy and slightly confused. But he stood up and started moving around, presumably putting on his clothes.

"Are you decent yet?" Souta called, irrationally angry at the fox, mostly because of his own embarassment.

"I'm dressed, if that's what you mean, Souta-kun," said Shippo. He sounded amused.

Souta dropped his hand from his eyes. He looked over and saw the fully-clad fox demon walking toward him, his tail waving from side to side as he moved. The graceful swaying motion made Souta stiffen again, and he was very glad he was wearing baggy jeans.

Tearing his eyes from the fox demon's alluring tail, Souta glanced up at his face and saw that he looked like he wanted to laugh. "So, what brings you to the hot springs, Souta-kun?"

"Well," Souta started, "when I arrived at my sister's home this afternoon, I found Inu-chan, home alone." The teenager's eyes narrowed. "He was left by himself."

Shippo paled slightly. "Oh, Kami- he's not hurt, is he?"

Souta relaxed a little as he saw that the fox-demon was genuinely concerned. "He's fine. I'm just concerned that such a situation was allowed to arise. I was under the impression that you had been charged with watching the children when my sister and Inuyasha aren't around?"

Shippo flinched, and his eyes fell to the ground at Souta's feet. "Uh, yeah," he muttered, a pale pink color spreading over his pale white face. Souta stared, enraptured, as the demon boy blushed. He averted his eyes before Shippo noticed.

"So, want to explain why I found my nephew home by himself? He said you were under the impression that he was at Miroku and Sango's place with his brother and their boys." Souta very carefully didn't look at Shippo, not wanting to be caught staring by the fox demon.

"Yeah. I left the boys there this morning after taking the twins over to Kaede's for their lessons. They said they wanted to play. After I dropped them off there, I decided to come out here to relax a little bit, since I figured that Sango wouldn't let them out of her sight." Both teens frowned. "Speaking of Sango, I wonder how he managed to get away from her, anyway?"

Souta scowled darkly. "I think my next visit is going to be to the home of a certain monk and exterminator."

"Sounds like a plan, man," murmured Shippo, startling Souta.

"Where'd you hear that?" asked the teen without much thought.

"Oh...your sister, I think," replied the demon boy. He smiled at his friend, and Souta felt his heart skip a beat. The young kitsune's face lit up the whole glade when he smiled, it was so bright.

Shippo started off down the path, and Souta stood and watched him walk away for a minute, mesmerized by the hypnotic sway of the young man's hips and his swishing tail. '...so pretty....' was the only thought that ran through his head.

"Well, are you coming?" Shippo's voice broke through Souta's reverie, and the teen flushed guiltily before following the demon down the trail.

Chapter Three: But Things Remain The Same

Shippo glanced back over his shoulder at Souta who was hurrying after him, trying to keep up. He wasn't huffing or puffing, but his face was inordinately red, and he was breathing hard. Shippo grinned at him. "So...what do you think?"

Souta looked up, startled, and almost tripped over a root poking up through the surface of the path. "What do I think of...?"

"Me, silly! What do you think of how I look?" Shippo giggled.

Souta didn't say anything for a minute. He appeared to be mulling over his friend's question in his mind. "Um.... You look...nice."

"You think so? Really?" Shippo couldn't hide his pleasure at the praise, and blushed lightly.

"Yes. I'm only confused as to why you look like that. Is it a spell, an illusion or something?" Souta looked honestly curious.

"Nope. I went through a kitsune growth spurt a couple months ago." Shippo grinned. "I'm physically about 18 years old, now."

"Yes, and how old are you literally?" Souta asked.

"A little over 16." Shippo shrugged. "I'll catch up with myself soon enough." He grinned agan.

"That must have been pretty shocking," Souta said. "To go from being a little kid to being an adolescent, practically overnight, I mean."

"Well," Shippo said, fidgeting, "I had been expecting it for some time."

"Yeah, but still...." Souta's voice faded away. No one spoke for a few minutes. Souta was trying to keep his mind on his run, and Shippo was remembering his Change.

"By the way," Shippo said, breaking the uneasy silence, "did you bring me any candy?" His eyes grew big and sparkly when he said that, and he smiled dazzlingly.

Souta laughed and shook his head. "You may have changed a lot on the outside, Shippo-chan, but you're still the same old Shippo inside, aren't you."

Shippo smiled, but his eyes darkened. 'Not by a long shot, Souta-kun,' he thought. His Change had given him a whole new set of feelings and thoughts. He still loved candy, yes, but a lot of other things- less obvious things- were different. 'Not by a very long shot.'

Chapter Four: Family

Shippo and Souta arrived at Miroku and Sango's hut relatively quickly. Shippo, having gotten there first, and also unwinded, stuck his head in the door and called out cheerfully. "Oi! Sango? Miroku? Boys?"

Sango, looking harried and exhausted, came into the hut from the back door. She was wiping her hands on a rag, so by all guesses she had been cleaning something. "Hello, Shippo. What are you doing here?" she asked in a pleasant voice, before slumping onto a chair and sighing deeply.

"Trying to figure out why Inu-chan was home, alone, at Kagome's hut when I arrived," Souta supplied, coming up beside Shippo. He noticed that despite his greater height, the fox demon was broader in the shoulders than himself. He put Shippo's body out of his mind (as much as he could) and looked questioningly at Sango. He noted that she looked absolutely bushwhacked. Tired beyond tired. He winced in sympathy as she began to rub at the small of her back.

"He snuck away when Miroku was supposed to be supervising the boys," said the ex-tajiya in an exhausted voice. "I left them with him for five minutes to put up the laundry, and when I went back, Inu-chan had disappeared, Miroku had no idea where to, and Kagasha wouldn't say. I eventually persuaded him to tell me that his brother had gone home- but by that time, Inu-chan reappeared, saying you'd sent him over, Souta. How are you?"

Souta smiled at his sister's best friend. "Just fine, Sango. Sorry if Inu-chan caused you any undue stress.... We'll take the boys home now, I guess."

Shippo grinned. "I shoulda known it was Miroku-san's fault."

Sango rolled her eyes and smiled. "Miroku loves his children dearly, and Inuyasha and Kagome's children, but sometimes he is a bit too... careless with them."

Shippo and Souta both chuckled. "You got that right, Sango-san," Shippo said.

"Are the kids out back? We'll just collect the boys and get out of your hair," Souta said, feeling like he was responsible now that he had arrived.

"Thanks," Sango said with a relieved smile, and waved them on toward the back door. "They should all be out there."

With a grin and a wave, Souta went out the door, only to be pounced on by four young boys, ranged from age 8 (Kagasha) to age 4 (Inugosha) to age 2 (Sanku) to about a year old (Kohaku, named after his mother's brother). "Uncle Souta!" was the general consensus. Little Kohaku, unable to say 'uncle,' said "Nunk Souta!"

"Hey, guys," Souta said with a big grin. "How's it going?"

The excited, confused babble of four boys all trying to talk at once filled the air, and Souta laughed. "Ok, ok, one at a time." He allowed the boys to lead him over to a blanket spread out on the grass, on which Miroku was lounging, watching the happy reunion with his normal grin on his face. Souta, looking at him, was stunned at how little he seemed to have changed. He looked the same as he had ever since Souta had first met him; black hair pulled back into a little ponytail at the back of his neck, eyes seeming to laugh at everything, a constant smile on his face. He even dressed the same. The only thing different, in fact, was the long-closed scar on his hand that had once been the Kazaana.

Looking down at the toddlers hanging from his knees, Souta smiled. Sanku had his father's thick black hair, and it was even pulled back in a tiny little ponytail, mimicking his father's hairstyle. He had his mother's hazel eyes, and her gentle smile. Little Kohaku had a healthy sprinkling of fine black hair, and his father's eyes. Their elder sister, Mira, who was not in evidence, had their black hair, and Miroku's eyes, nose, mouth.... In fact, she looked so much like her father it startled people. She even had a few of his mannerisms.... Thankfully, being only (almost) five, she was not yet interested in boys. Souta knew that Sango worried about what she would be like when she grew older, but at the moment, the little girl was only the cutest little tomboy in the whole village. Growing up playing almost solely with her own brothers and the two hanyou sons of Inuyasha and Kagome (she didn't get along with Inume and Kayame, the twins) was not doing any good for the little girl's femininity.

Kagasha, the eight-year-old son of Inuyasha and Kagome, was the spitting image of his father- except for the happy smile and kind disposition. He had his father's looks and his mother's personality. His brother, four-year-old Inugosha (and called Inu-chan by everyone who knew him) was his opposite; a tiny, male duplicate of their mother Kagome, but with his father Inuyasha's personality- his scowl and tendancy to be sullen and just generally angry. It was generally hoped that he would 'grow out of it.'

The twins, Inume the elder sister (by all of twenty minutes), and Kayame the younger, were six years old and very much into dolls, dresses, and all things feminine. They disliked their brothers, their tomboyish cousin Mira, and Mira's brothers on principle. Dirt? Mud? Bug-guts? No Way!

Inume, the older girl, had her mother's black hair, and her father's violet eyes. She was the dominant twin, the leader, and generally the planner of the girls' activities. Kayame, smaller than her twin, had her father's silver-white hair and eyes the color of chocolate. She was the follower, the quieter twin, and the more sensitive twin to boot. Both girls were being trained as mikos by their Great-Aunt Kaede (as "our mother's former incarnation's younger sister" just sounds..._weird_) and attended classes daily at the old woman's hut, learning about medicine, healing, and the duties of a miko. The two boys were generally assumed to be following in their father's footsteps- warriors, protectors of the village, etc. Inuyasha was already teaching Kagasha to fight, and Inu-chan was desperately jealous. But Kagome wouldn't let him start training with his father and brother until he was older. She had made Inuyasha wait until Kagasha was six, too.

Mira was learning her mother's trade- demon-exterminating- as her brothers eventually would, although on this day in particular she was playing with her friend, a neighbor girl named Fariyaka Siute, or Si-Si as Mira called her. Si-Si was no tomboy, unlike Mira; she was quiet and withdrawn and had no other real friends. Most of the village children disliked the girl because, as they put it, "she's weird!" Si-Si was very small, stick-thin, and as pale as it is possible for a living child to be. Her hair was blacker than black; her eyes were the same shade. Her appearance, in total, was that of a dead thing. So other children avoided her and ostracized her, and she became a withdrawn, secluded child desperately in need of a friend. Somehow, when Mira met her, she knew the other girl needed her, and so Mira latched on with both hands and wouldn't let go. So today, Mira and Si-Si were playing at Si-Si's house, while the boys played at Miroku and Sango's place, and the twins took their lessons from Kaede.

Miroku lazily stood, stretching, and held out his hand to Souta in a custom taught to him by Kagome. "Good to see you, Souta," said the ex-monk, smiling.

"Good to see you too, Miroku," Souta replied, shaking Miroku's hand. He was unprepared for being pulled into a big bear hug, though, and gasped slightly at the unexpected squeeze. "Gaaah!"

"Oi, Miroku, let 'im go," Shippo said, slouching in the doorway. Souta looked at the fox-spirit, and then stared, shocked at how reminiscient (sp?) his posture was to more modern teen boys than Souta had ever seen. He shook his head, and turned back to his sister's best male friend other than her husband.

"So how've things been?" Souta sat down, followed by Miroku. Shippo came over and sat down as well, just behind Souta, to his left. "Kids not giving you any trouble, are they?" The four boys giggled and threw themselves down on the blanket with the three older men. Little Kohaku plopped himself down right in Souta's lap, and the teen absentmindedly wrapped his arms around the baby, who gurgled and babbled happily up at his Uncle.

"They've been pretty good since you were here last, at Christmas.... Of course, they moaned about you not being here all the way to St. Valentine's Day, but that's just Standard Operating Procedure." Miroku laughed, and Souta just shook his head at the oddness of hearing those words come out of the mouth of a Warring-States Period wandering monk. Of course, he had been exposed to time-travelers from the 21st century, so who can blame him?

Souta grinned and patted Kohaku on the head, looking down at the baby and then over at his brother and cousins. "I'm glad they missed me."

"Yes, and Shippo-kun was the worst of all," Miroku laughed. "He moaned and groaned constantly about how much he wished you were here so he could show you his new toys."

"Is that true, Shippo-kun?" Souta asked, looking over his shoulder at the fox with a grin on his face.

"Eh...." Shippo muttered, his eyes cast to one side. Souta laughed when the demon boy's face turned pink again.

"That's so cute!" Souta said, chuckling. He turned around again and smiled at Miroku, who laughed. "Well, me and Shippo-kun really came to get Kagasha and Inu-chan.... So I guess we have to get moving, huh?" He shrugged, handing little Kohaku to his father. The baby cooed and gurgled up at the ex-monk, who smiled down at his youngest child lovingly.

"Yeah, I guess so," Miroku said. He looked over at Kagasha and little Inu-chan who were playing 'count the lightning bug flashes' with two-year old Sanku. "Boys?" All three boys looked up at him expectantly. He smiled "Kagasha and Inu-chan, it's time for you two to be going home with your Uncle Souta and Shippo-kun."

"Awwww!" Both boys protested, but Miroku was firm and resolute with them, for once. Shortly, Souta, carrying Inu-chan, who was sleepier than he would admit, and Shippo, who was leading a pouting Kagasha by the hand, said goodnight to Sango and Miroku and their children (Mira had arrived home while the boys were out in the back yard) and headed on home. At the hut, they found Kaede and the twins waiting. Souta thanked her for watching the girls, and she left, leaving the two teens and the four children alone in the hut.

"Well, kids, have you all eaten dinner?" Souta asked them.

"Yes, Uncle Souta," they chorused.

"I haven't...." Shippo said in a pouting voice.

"Shut up, Shippo-kun. Ok, kids, since you've already had supper, then it's washing-up time, and then off to bed."

"Aww...but Uncle...." they protested, trying to use the 'puppy-dog' look on him.

"No ifs, ands, or buts!" Souta said cheerfully. "Go on now, go wash up and put on your sleeping clothes, and then Shippo-kun and I will tuck you into bed."

"Awww...." mumbled the four hanyou, but Souta had been babysitting in his neighborhood for ages, and he knew how to deal with reluctant kids. He sent them off to get cleaned up and changed into their pajamas.

"Kami-sama, you're good at this," Shippo murmured, looking at Souta with a new kind of admiration in his eyes. "I can never get them to do anything."

"You just have to be gentle, but firm," Souta said, nodding his head at the fox-demon. "It's not so hard, if you know how to do it."

Shippo just shook his head and grinned.

Soon the kids were coming back, all fresh and squeaky clean, complete with pajamas. They all clamored for a bedtime story, so Shippo told them the story of how he first met their parents. They had, of course, heard that story already a thousand times, but they never tired of it. Neither did Souta. He was, in his deepest heart, slightly jealous of his sister, Inuyasha, Shippo, even Sango and Miroku. They had had adventures- gone on a quest- fought evil villains and triumphed. All Souta had ever done was play soccer in grade school, and run cross-country in junior high and high school. He wanted adventure! Danger! Treasure!...But he was never going to get it. It depressed him to think about it.

"...and then we went off after another shard...but that's another story, for another time," Shippo finished. All four kids were sound asleep on their pallet-beds. He smiled down on them, and Souta was struck by how loving he looked.

'Well, he has been "Shippo-niichan" to them all their lives,' Souta thought with a slight smile. 'I don't know what it's like to be a big brother. Only a little brother....' he sighed, feeling a familiar melancholy fill him, and went out into the hallway. Shippo followed him, closing the door to the kids' bedroom softly so as to make no noise.

The two young men wandered out to the main room, where Souta sat down on a low couch/cushion and tried to relax, while Shippo stretched out in the middle of the floor, humming something softly under his breath. Souta had closed his eyes and was meditating when suddenly he felt a large weight settle quite rapidly onto his lap. Slightly unnerved, he opened one eye to see Shippo's large, limpid emerald-colored pools staring brightly at him. The fox-demon had a large, happy smile on his face. "Candy!" he whispered, his face all of five inches from Souta's. "Did you bring me candy, Souta-kun?"

Souta groaned aloud. "Get off me, Shippo-kun," he said.

"Not 'til I get my candy!" Shippo replied in his crazed candy-lover whisper.

"I'll give you candy, you devious little...." Souta began to try to grab Shippo's arms to pick him up and bodily throw him off of his lap, as he really didn't want the young fox to notice Souta's entirely involuntary reaction to having him so close.

But Souta was unsuccessful, as the lithe young fox-spirit only melted closer against him and murmured in his ear, his breath hot and tickling Souta's delicate ear, "I want my candy...Souta-kun...."

"If you'll get off of me, I'll go get it," Souta admitted, trying hard to hide his arousal and panic.

"Yaaaay! Candy!" shrieked the ecstatic Shippo, who was already off of Souta's lap and dancing around the room in joy.

"Shut UP! You'll wake the children, Shippo no baka!" hissed Souta as he got up off the low couch and stalked over to the door to grab his bag, all the time trying to hide that fact that he had an erection as hard as he could ever remember having.

"Sorry, Souta-kun," said Shippo in a voice that reminded Souta of his child-self, and Souta smiled involuntarily, remembering the cute little fox-demon child who used to cuddle with him at night when he was cold. Suddenly he missed those days. He put his head down so his face wouldn't show the fox what he was thinking.

Feeling old and very tired, Souta knelt by his bookbag and pulled out the bag of chocloate candies he had brought expressely for Shippo. Without looking, he tossed them over his shoulder, knowing that the young fox demon was probably hovering over him and would grab them out of the air. Then, after pulling out a small parcel he kept in a small squarish cloth container and clutching that to his stomach, he stood up and headed for the door.

"Where....mmmf....going?" came Shippo's mangled voice. He was suffing his face full of chocloate and talking at the same time. Souta sighed.

"I am going- to the hot springs. To bathe. Because after running around all over the forest and playing with children all day I stink. Now, just eat your stupid candy, quietly, and leave me alone for a while!" Souta said in a low, growling voice that was almost a snarl. He stalked out the door, clutching his small package, and went around the corner of the hut toward the path through the Forest.

Chapter Five: Little Boy Blue

Shippo sat in the hut, chocolate smeared on his face, candy wrappers strewn all about, and stared at the empty doorway through which Souta had vanished. His eyes were wide and glassy, and his lower lip was trembling. He didn't understand why Souta- Souta, of all people!- had flown off the hook at him like that. That had sounded like something Inuyasha might have said to him, once. He was scared and hurt.

Shippo frowned softly, eating another piece of chocolate without really noticing. As his sharp teeth crunched the sweet, he tried to understand what might make the other teen act like he had. He couldn't think of anything- unless it was how loud Shippo had been when he got his candy....

Shippo sighed and shook his head. No, that wasn't the problem, he knew; it was something deeper and less...idiotic. No, it must have been something else.... But Shippo couldn't, for the life of him, figure out what. It confused him terribly, and frightened him too. He wanted to just go and _ask_ Souta why he was so angry- but that frightened him, too. He was afraid Souta would yell, or hit him, even. He shuddered. The feelings running through him reminded him a lot of what it had been like before Kagome and Inuyasha took him in; fear, panic, confusion, terror. Loneliness.

Shippo was startled to realize that he felt lonely.

Not just at that moment, either. But for a long, long time. It was just that...everyone around him seemed to have someone, usually several someones, who were their _real_ family. Miroku had Sango and their children, and Sango had them in return; Inuyasha had Kagome and their children, while Kagome not only had her husband and children but also a brother, mother, and grandfather. Souta had...well, Souta had his mother, grandfather, sister, brother-in-law, nieces and nephews....

But...Shippo was alone. He had only memories of his real family. His mother, who had died when he was so young he could barely remember her, and his father, murdered by Hiten and Manten.... Shippo's pointed ears drooped and his tail fell against the floor as his mood soured. He ate another piece of chocolate, but it just didn't seem to taste good any more. He sighed and set the bag down gently. He drew his knees up to his chest and hugged them, feeling lonelier than ever.

At first, Shippo's mind was enveloped in memories of his parents and his past. But slowly, his thoughts came around to Souta again. He frowned lightly as he remembered the angry tone of Souta's voice and his statement. He winced as the words floated through his mind.

_"I am going- to the hot springs. To bathe. Because after running around all over the forest and playing with children all day I stink. Now, just eat your stupid candy, quietly, and leave me alone for a while!"_

Shippo still couldn't understand what had made Souta so upset with him. It distressed him greatly. He was filled with indecision as to whether or not he should go and try to talk to the human boy, or just leave him alone and hope that when he came back he wouldn't be so angry.

The feeling that he really needed to go and talk to Souta grew stronger and stronger in Shippo's mind. He was still afraid, still uncertain, but at the same time, he remembered Souta's kindness and his gentle disposition, the way he had always been, ever since they first met when Souta was eight years old and Shippo, seven. They had both looked up to Inuyasha then, and had bonded through their mutual hero-worship of the hanyou dog-demon. For a long time they had been 'best friends.' But when Souta started to grow up and to get more mature, while Shippo stayed the same, their relationship had cooled slightly.

But still...Shippo owed it to Souta for being his friend for such a long time, to try and make it up to him if he had unintentionally done something to upset his friend. He nodded, and then smiled with a determined light in his eyes. He pushed himself to his feet and headed for the door.

Before he reached the door, he saw his reflection in the window pane, and grimaced. 'Kami-sama, look how messy I am! Sheesh!' He went outside to the rainwater barrel and dunked his face in it, ignoring the dreadful shock of the icy water, and then scrubbed at his face until his reflection looked clean. Then he dried off his face on the edge of his haori, and headed around the hut toward the path that he was sure would lead him to Souta.

Chapter Six: Hot Springs

Souta reached the hot springs quickly enough, and went over to the corner farthest from the path, to give himself more privacy. There, he laid down his night bag on a nearby flat-topped boulder, and began shedding his clothing.

Leaving the rumpled, dirty clothing in an undignified heap, Souta opened up his night bag and pulled out the loofah sponge, body wash, and shampoo he had wisely packed in there before leaving the Shrine that morning. Taking the items, he walked over to the springs, and carefully stepped down onto a well-placed rock that lay just beneath the water's surface. As he walked further into the heated pool, he tried not to think of the childish kitsune with the grown-up body who was lurking in the back of his mind, irking him, making him want to scream.

He sat down on another rock, which was within reach of the edge of the pool, so he could reach the bottles and sponge he had placed there. He concentrated of feeling the water rise up to his breastbone, closing his eyes and focusing on the delicious feeling of heat, letting it permeate him and sink right into his weary bones. He sighed, feeling lethargic and exhausted. He opened his eyes again and reached for the shampoo.

After submerging himself long enough to thoroughly wet his hair, Souta sat up again, water dripping from his hair right down into his face. He shivered as the cold night air hit his wet skin, which had only recently been so nicely warm and cozy. With a hum, he opened the shampoo bottle's lid and then squeezed a judicious amount out onto his palm, flicked the bottle top closed again with his thumb, and tossed it back onto the bank. It landed past the body wash and sponge, bounced, and then rolled a little further toward the rock, landing in the pile of clothing he had dropped there.

Souta closed his eyes to avoid getting suds in them as he began to lather his hair. "Doot doot doot doooo," he hummed under his breath, and laughed slightly. He always felt good when he washed his hair; scalp-massage was a highly relaxing and pleasant experience for him, even if it was self-inflicted. It was something like masturbation, only...less messy, and not so desperate.

Having worked up a thick, bubbly white lather, Souta dunked his head under the water again and rinsed it out. He hummed mentally, holding his breath, and worked his fingers through his wet, silky-feeling hair. 'Doot doot doot doooo....'

Rising out of the water again, Souta sighed with pleasure and leaned back, allowing himself to float on the surface of the deliciously warm water before he started with the loofah and body wash. The feeling of water in his ears, which both irritated and amused him, brought back memories of being bathed by his mother as a small child, long before his sister had ever discovered the magic portal in their well. He took in a deep breath and then let it out slowly, luxuriating in his feelings of warmth and weightlessness.

Having physically relaxed completely, Souta lowered his butt to the rock again and sat up, reaching for the fluffy sponge and bottle of liquid soap on the bank. He flicked the top on the bottle up and squeezed some body wash onto the loofah, squishing it in his hand and working up a lather. He closed the bottle again with movements perfected by long practice and tossed it after the shampoo bottle. Then he started scrubbing at his body with the sudsy sponge, starting with his arms.

As Souta worked himself over with the soapy loofah, his mind wandered back to the irritant that had sent him running out of his sister's hut, clenching his hands into fists and grinding his teeth together. He was in a considerably calmer and less agitated mood now, after washing his hair and relaxing in the hot water. He could think about Shippo without freaking out.

It was so strange! Shippo seemed to be a child, trapped in a man's body. He acted exactly the same way he always had, even when he was a child in body as well as mind. He still ran and jumped and was innocent and loved candy. Souta sighed, wondering if the fox would ever grow up.

Absently, Souta moved on to his chest with the sponge as his thoughts relentlessly barreled forward. Would Shippo ever grow up? Would he ever be adult enough to feel a wanting like the one Souta felt when he looked at him? Souta wouldn't put it past him to stay a child mentally forever, just to frustrate him. Shippo seemed to like doing that, since his body grew up.

If, now, he suddenly started showing an interest in Souta in return, what would he do? Could they have a real relationship? Was it even possible? If he did, what would it be like? Would he act like a child, or a man?

Souta scrubbed at his thigh and frowned. He knew that part of the reason he was so angry at Shippo was that he was intensely attracted to him. But the kitsune's behavior was so childish and innocent that wanting him made Souta feel dirty, and sick, as if he was lusting after a child. He felt guilty. Disgusted with himself.

Souta reached over his shoulder to scrub at what he could reach of his back, his eyes cloudy and unfocused. He wasn't really there. That is probably why he didn't notice Shippo's presence until the young demon cleared his throat.

"A-hem."

Souta froze, one arm stretched over his shoulder, eyes going wide and fearful and his skin losing its color. He turned around, bringing down his arm, and saw the young fox crouching atop the boulder where Souta had so recently placed his overnight bag. "Shippo...." he gasped, and sat down with a thump. "You scared the tar out of me!"

"Um...sorry?" said Shippo sheepishly.

"Kami-sama," muttered Souta, trying to slow his racing heartbeat. "What're you doing here, anyway? You already bathed today, right?" He narrowed his eyes at the fox-spirit.

"Um, I wanted to apologize to you," Shippo said, sliding his feet out from beneath himself and assuming a more normal sitting position. "I know that I did something to upset you, before, and I.... Just didn't want you mad at me, I guess," he said, his voice sounding small and timid.

Souta closed his eyes and tried to breathe calmly. "I wasn't mad at you, Shippo, not really," he finally said. "I was just...stressed out, and annoyed, and I over-reacted. I should be the one apologizing for hauling off on you like that." He opened his eyes again and met the demon boy's gaze. "I'm sorry."

"Well, still, I was being...very immature, bouncing around and yelling like that, and bothering you about the candy and everything. I know I'm not a child anymore...but I've been one for so long, I just...forget, sometimes. Please accept my humble apologies, Souta-kun." He inclined his head in a kind of half-bow.

Souta laughed softly. "Only if you'll forgive me, too."

Shippo smiled at his friend. "You're forgiven."

"I accept your apology," Souta grinned. Then he seemed to remember that he was in the middle of something, and turned his back on the young fox-demon, blushing brightly. "Ahh, um, pardon me, I'm naked," he sputtered.

Shippo just about fell off the rock laughing. "Oh, ha ha, yeah," he snorted, and hid his face in his large hands. Souta blushed even harder at his soft giggles.

"I...um...yeah. So...." Souta tried to say something, anything, but his mind seemed completely blank.

"Here, I'll cover my eyes and you can finish your bathing, alright?" Shippo finally managed to say after his giggles died away. A big grin stretched across his face under his hands.

"Yes, um, thank you. I'm, ah, almost finished, anyway," Souta forced himself to say. He began to quickly squeeze out his loofah, and submerged his body one more time to rinse off any missed suds.

When he came up again, Shippo was calmly holding out the towel that had been in Souta's undernight bag. His face was turned away, and his free hand was held tight over his eyes. Souta froze again for a minute. Then he quickly got out of the water and, snatching the towel from him, wrapped it around his thin waist.

"Uh, thanks," he muttered.

"No problem," Shippo said calmly. "Can I look now?"

"Uh, I guess, I'm covered and eveything," Souta replied.

Shippo dropped his hand and turned his head toward him again, and despite his grin, Souta could see a serious look in his eyes. "Why did it bother you so much to have me here?" he asked quietly. "We used to bathe together all the time."

"When we were kids," Souta said lowly. "Things have changed since then...for both of us."

Shippo stared at him for a minute, and then turned away. "I guess so."

Souta watched as the young fox walked toward the head of the path, and was a little surprised to see him slow and then stop. He turned around again, and looked at Souta with an indescribable expression on his face. "Is it because you don't like me anymore?" he asked slowly. "Now that I've grown up...why don't you like me any more?"

It occured to Souta that the reason he couldn't name the look on his friend's face was because he'd never seen him fighting back tears before. "Shippo-chan," he said softly, and then visibly winced at his slip of the tongue. "Shippo-kun, I don't like you any less now than I ever did. I just...need time to get used to seeing you this way. It was a big shock, that's all."

"I'm sorry," Shippo said in a tiny voice. "I didn't mean to upset you again."

Souta felt a surge of- something- welling up inside him. Finally, when he couldn't take it any more, he moved over to the young man, took him by the shoulder, holding his towel closed around his waist with his other hand, and looked him straight in the eyes. "Shippo-kun, listen to me. You didn't do anything wrong. Ok? You have nothing to feel sorry for, because you haven't done anything bad. Things are just...a little weird right now, ok? Everything will turn out ok in the end." He smiled gently.

Shippo looked at him, his big, wet eyes shining in the reflected moonlight. Souta felt another surge of desire roll over him, but he forced himself not to react to it. "I...ok." Shippo smiled weakly, and Souta felt like cheering. Then he remembered he was standing there in only a towel, and blushed so hard his face looked like a tomato.

"Uh, I need to get dressed," he said lowly, his eyes flicking to one side. He dropped his hand from Shippo's shoulder. "Mind waiting here for a minute? And please cover your eyes."

Shippo grinned, looking like he was back to his normal self. "Sure," he agreed, and watched Souta walk back over to the rock, beside which lay not only a pile of dirty clothing and two bottles of bath liquids, but his overnight bag, which contained his sleeping clothes.

Souta turned his head and looked over his shoulder at Shippo when he got to the rock. "Eyes?" he reminded the fox-demon, who chuckled sheepishly and covered his face with his hands...leaving just enough room that he could see through them. Souta's freak-outs about Shippo seeing him naked had made the young kitsune really curious as to what he actually _looked_ like nude, and so he spied on him.

Shippo watched in curiousity as Souta glanced back at him nervously before dropping the towel to his feet and stepping away from it. He felt a strange feeling rush through him as the human teenager bent over to pull something out of his bag, presenting his naked ass to the fox-demon. Shippo stared, the cracks between his fingers widening so he could see better.

Souta pulled out his night shirt first, and he stretched his arms skyward to pull it on. Shippo growled low in his throat at that movement, so softly it was barely audible to the fox himself, and completely inaudible to the boy he was ogling.

Then he bent down again, rummaging through the bag again. He came out with a pair of...shorts, sort of. Shippo frowned. He hadn't seen shorts like that before...they had an elastic waistband, and a funny, flap-looking thing on the front. Souta lifted one leg slightly to step into the shorts, presenting Shippo with a lovely view of his inner thigh, which produced a burning feeling in the fox-spirit's innards. He growled again in discomfort.

But when Souta started to loose his balance and cursed vehemently and hopped in a little circle, trying not to keel over, Shippo's eyes widened so much they almost bugged out. As he hopped, the teen turned toward the fox and inadvertantly gave him an eyeful. Shippo, who had never really looked at another male's equipment, was startled by Souta's length, even though he was soft.

The young man cursed again, louder, and put his foot down, lifted the other one, and put that foot through the other leg of the shorts. Then he pulled the shorts the rest of the way up his legs. Shippo blinked, finally, when the fabric of the shorts obstucted his view of Souta's manliness. Then he blushed as red as his hair, and closed his fingers, cutting off his view of the half-naked young man. But an afterimage of Souta in all his nude glory seemed to be burned into Shippo's eyelids; he saw him again, even with his eyes closed, screwed as tightly shut as he could manage.

Shippo bit his lip, hoping that the pain would drive away the strangely exciting pictures in his mind. It didn't work, so he bit down harder. So hard he broke the skin, and his mouth filled with blood. He flinched at the coppery, thick fluid, and swallowed it to get it out of his mouth. He felt nauseous. 'Well, at least I'm not seeing naked Souta anymore,' he thought in relief, and groaned when the image returned at the thought. 'Stupid! Stupid!'

"Shippo-kun? Are you ok?" asked a voice from a few feet away. Shippo let his hands fall from his face to see Souta standing there, frowning at him, holding his dirty clothes and wet towel in one hand and his overnight bag, with his shower supplies inside, in the other.

"Uh, why?" Shippo asked, confused.

Souta shifted his bag to rest against his leg. "Well, you kinda looked like you were in...pain, or something."

Shippo winced, and decided to tell the truth...well, an abbrieviated version of it, anyway. "I bit my lip. That's all."

"Oh, sorry...." Souta said, giving the fox an odd look. Then he seemed to mentally shrug and grin. "Ok, let's get going," he said in a more cheerful tone.

Shippo nodded and silently set off down the path, his mind full of racing thoughts and naked pictures of a beautiful boy. He didn't notice Souta stop and stare, admiring his butt.

Chapter Seven: Twisted

Souta caught up with Shippo as they walked down the path that led back through the Forest to the hut. He was tired, and wanted to go to bed. He was also slightly befuddled at everything that had happened on that day. His mind was a little foggy, a little muddled, but not so much that it really bothered him. The two boys walked in silence, each absorbed in their own separate thoughts.

Souta was the one who broke the heavy, tense silence. He was just walking along, when he suddenly had to yawn. In that split second when his eyes closed, his foot caught on an exposed tree root and he tripped. He let out a bloodcurdling yell, and Shippo flinched so hard he nearly fell himself.

"Unh..." grunted Souta, on hands and knees, his butt up in the air. Shippo looked away, his face red. Souta started to gather his belongings again, and then tried to get back to his feet. He immediately cursed, quite loudly, which startled Shippo.

"What's the matter, Souta-kun?" Shippo asked, a light frown on his face.

"Twisted my ankle," replied the human teen. He gritted his teeth against the pain as he carefully explored his ankle with his hands. "Well, there's swelling, but I didn't hear any 'crack' noises, so it's probably not broken," he muttered to himself. "Sprain or just strain? Strain, I hope."

"Can you walk?" Shippo asked cautiously.

"Don't think so," Souta said, and cursed again. He looked at his ankle, the pile of his belongings, Shippo, his ankle again. He sighed. "I'm going to need your help," he said to the fox boy.

"What do you need me to do?" Shippo said, a little worried.

"More like what _don't_ I need you to do...." muttered Souta, and sighed. "First, can you carry my stuff?"

"Sure," Shippo said, and reached down to gather the items in his arms. Then he stood up, arms full, and loked down at Souta, who looked up at him miserably. "Anything more I can do?"

"Can you help me to my feet?" Souta asked, his eyes averted, a blush spreading across his cheeks.

Wordlessly shifting all of Souta's stuff into his left arm, Shippo reached down with his right hand and hooked it under Souta's arm. Then, with one heave, he picked him up and held him in a standing position, his good foot on the ground, his injured leg held in the air still.

"...Oh," said a surprised Souta, dangling from Shippo's hand.

"Well, I _am_ a demon, after all," Shippo said with a bit of a laugh.

Souta grinned and shook his head. "I guess so."

"Ok...so, now what?" Shippo said. "Do you want me to carry you to the hut, like this?"

"It's kind of...uncomfortable." Souta replied, shrugging.

"Well, I can.... Oh, I know. You can ride on my back, like Kagome used to ride on Inuyasha's back!" Shippo smiled brightly.

Souta looked mildly shocked for a moment. Then he grinned, slightly. "How do we go about doing that?"

"Well, for starters, take these," Shippo said, and thrust Souta's belongings into his arms. "Ok, now, I'm going to swing you around a little bit, and you should land against my upper back. I'll hold onto you so you don't fall off. Don't worry, Inuyasha's done it hundreds of times, it can't be that hard," he said reassuringly.

"Ok, well, go on, do it," Souta said nervously. Then, suddenly, he felt a 'whoosh!' of air rushing past him, and then a bump as he swung into Shippo's upper back. Reflexively he clutched onto the kitsune's body with arms and legs, afraid.

"Hey, calm down," Shippo said, "I've got you, I won't let you fall." He smiled, even though he knew Souta couldn't see his face.

"Y-yes," Souta said, stuttering a little out of pure embarassment. He was also very, very aware that he was pressed up against the demon's body, practically skin-to-skin, and the scent coming off the fox teen was...intoxicating. He inhaled deeply, practically burying his face in the fox's hair.

Shippo grinned, enjoying the feeling of the human's weight on his back for some odd reason. Then, with a spring, he started to bound off down the path.

"Ow!" Souta said, his twisted ankle bouncing painfully. "Please, Shippo-kun, slow down, don't jump, it hurts," he said breathlessly.

"Oh, Souta-kun, I'm so sorry, I didn't even think about that!" Shippo cried remorsefully, and slowed down considerably until he was walking as smoothly as he could through the Forest.

"Thanks," Souta said after leaning down to speak into Shippo's delicately pointed ear. "I really appreciate your help, Shippo-kun."

Shippo blushed and grinned. "Any time, Souta-kun."

After a while of riding on Shippo's back, Souta slid down a little and laid his head against the back of Shippo's shoulder. He yawned, and his eyes began to slip shut. "Sh'po..." he mumbled, "s'rry b't I'm j'st tired..."

"It's ok," Shippo whispered in reply. 'I like it.' his mind added. "Go to sleep."

"Guhnight," was Souta's last coherent (or semicoherent) statement before he fell asleep. Afterwards, Shippo felt the young man breathing slowly and steadily against the skin of his neck. It sent a thrill through him, that feeling. He liked it.

Chapter Eight: Sleeptalking

It wasn't too long before Shippo, carrying a sleeping Souta on his back, arrived at Inuyasha and Kagome's hut again. Quietly so as not to wake the children, he went inside, and walked Souta down the hall past the younger kids' room to his own, where he laid the young man gently in his own bed. Souta had a pallet of his own, but it hadn't been brought out of storage yet. Shippo could sleep on the floor perfectly well. It wasn't all that comfortable, but he didn't mind.

As he laid the human teen on the bed, Shippo was filled with thoughts of how sweet he looked asleep, and how beautiful he was. He was slightly confused at the thoughts he was having about the teen, but he just shrugged it off and ignored it. Kitsune were known for being less...straightforward, in their sexual preferences. It made them somewhat despised by other 'breeds' of youkai, but also more sought-after as sexual partners. Shippo himself had been left alone, mostly because he had still looked like a small child until pretty recently.

Shippo moved to get up and walk away from Souta, but he found that the teen's hand was clutching the sleeve of his haori with a death-grip. So he sighed and laid down on the edge of the pallet, trying not to get too close to the other boy's body. He looked at the ceiling, trying to ignore the fact that Souta was only a few inches away.

Shippo was almost asleep when he heard something. He opened his eyes to see what had made the noise, and saw that Souta was moaning softly in his sleep. Shippo even noticed tears slipping down his cheeks. Distressed, Shippo sat up and leaned over Souta to try and wake him.

"Souta, Souta, wake up," he said softly. He put one hand on the human boy's shoulder and shook him lightly. Souta tossed his head to the side and moaned again, and then, startling Shippo considerably, he threw his arm up and around the kitsune's neck, pulling him down against his body.

"Sh'po...my Shippo...." the sharp-eared kitsune heard the sleeper mumble. His green eyes widened.

'Is Souta...dreaming about me? Did he just say "my Shippo?" Are my ears playing tricks on me? This must be a dream!' Shippo thought in shock.

He tried to pull away from the human's sleeping form, but Souta only tightened his arm around his neck, holding him down. His other hand came up to tangle in Shippo's wild red hair, making the fox-demon blush ten shades of red.

"Shippo-koi...." murmured the teen, and Shippo's eyes almost popped out of his head. He looked at the boy's angelic, sleeping face, and saw a sweet, gentle smile come over his features.

"Souta," Shippo whispered. "Souta, let me go."

"Don't...wanna.... Mine, my mate...." was the sleeptalker's reply. Shippo couldn't believe this was real. But when the boy's hand came down to stroke his face, he had to admit that it was no dream.

Shippo felt his heart racing. 'Mate? Souta's mate? I...' he was so shocked he could barely breathe. 'Does Souta want me to be his mate? Do I want to be Souta's mate?' The kitsune didn't know. But he had a sneaking feeling that he, at least, wouldn't find the prospect totally unappealing.

"Shippo, Shippo." Souta murmured, and then was still. Carefully, Shippo pried himself out of the human boy's arms, and sat up. He gazed down at the young human's face, and sighed.

"You and I are going to have to have a talk," he murmured to himself. "In the morning...."

He laid down, a bit further away this time, and tried to sleep. But he was only able to lay there and stare at the ceiling, his mind racing, until the sun came up.

Chapter Nine: Discussions

Souta woke up slowly, his eyes fluttering open, and he yawned. Sitting up, he noticed that he was alone, and wondered where he was. He looked around, and concluded that he was in Shippo's room after seeing a distinctive light blue haori with a white feather-pattern and dark blue hakama folded up on a low stool in the corner. Yawning again, he wondered where Shippo was.

He began to get up, and noticed with some pleasure that his foot wasn't nearly as bad as it had been the night before. It still hurt, and was painful to walk on, but at least he could walk on it. Although he hadn't really minded being carried by Shippo....

Blushing at the hentai turn his thoughts had taken, Souta looked around for his bookbag. He wanted to put on some fresh clothes. His sleeping clothes were good for sleeping, but not much else.

Spotting his bag leaning against the wall by the door, Souta grinned and began limping his way over to it. He opened it and pulled out one of the outfits he'd packed for his stay. (He had seven. He would have to do laundry at some point.) With a careless gesture he stripped off the oversized teeshirt he slept in and let it fall to the ground, then began to pull the new shirt on. To his dismay, his arms got stuck over his head. "Kuso!" he muttered.

He struggled for a few moments, trying to either pull the shirt the rest of the way down or get it all the way off again, but he was stuck. "Chikuso!" he cursed again, becoming frustrated.

"Can I give you a hand with that?" a familiar voice asked, and a pair of hands gently pulled the shirt down over Souta's arms and head. Shippo's green eyes met Souta's, and the human blushed. "Ohayou, Souta-kun," said the fox with a slight grin.

"Ohayou, Shippo-kun" Souta replied, feeling like a total idiot. "Mind if I finish changing now?"

"Be my guest," Shippo said, his grin deepening into a smirk. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ok...and you have to leave now," Souta said when the fox showed no signs of heading for the door.

Shippo gave him a pouty look that sent a chill down Souta's spine, but he went out the door. Souta quickly changed his boxers and put on a pair of loose pants, similar to hakama, but slightly more modern in cut. After tying the cloth belt that came with the pants, he grabbed his favorite baseball cap from his bag and stuck it on his head. He grinned and slid his feet into his sneakers, wincing a little as his ankle settled against the stiff material, and pulled on a pair of fingerless gloves he liked to wear "because they look cool!"

Having finished dressing, he limped his way out to the main room, where Shippo was seated, waiting for him, at the dining table, with food. Souta's eyes lit up when he saw the breakfast, and he threw himself down on the cushion next to the kitsune and grabbed a bowl of rice.

"Have some breakfast, why don't you," Shippo said with a smirk as Souta began shoveling down the rice. He shook his head and tucked in to his own rice, albeit slower and calmer than Souta.

"'Zis is pwetty good," Souta slurred through a mouthful of food. "Did 'ja make it?"

"Yes," Shippo replied after swallowing his mouthful. "Your sister has been teaching me to cook."

"Cool!" Souta said with a big smile. Finishing his rice, he set the bowl down and patted his stomach. "I'm full."

Shippo sedately continued to eat his breakfast while Souta impatiently waited for him to finish. He looked up at the boy, at one point, and almost laughed at the bored look on his handsome face. Finally eating the last bit of rice from the bowl, he gathered his and Souta's dishes and began to take them to wash them out, a custom Kagome had taught him.

"What now?" mumbled Souta as he got up and followed Shippo out to the rainwater barrel, the hut's source for bathing-and-washing water (drinking water was in a plastic jug Kagome had brought home from the future.) "You're washing the dishes?" he asked in disbelief.

Shippo gazed at him over his shoulder as he rinsed out the two bowls and them began wiping them dry with a cloth kept nearby especially for that use. "It helps keep the kids from getting sick."

"Well, yeah," Souta said, scratching at his head. "It's just...that's not something I expected you to be doing. At home, my mom is the one who always does the dishes. Though she gets to use a dishwasher at least." He frowned.

"One of those machines Kagome has mentioned, I presume?" Shippo asked, setting down the first bowl on a drying rack Kagome had had Inuyasha nail to the side of the wall, above the barrel.

"Yeah, a machine," Souta agreed, pulling at his gloves. He was feeling a little antsy for some reason.

"That would make things much easier," Shippo said lightly.

"Yeah, I guess it does," Souta replied thoughtfully.

"Very well," Shippo said, setting the second bowl down to dry beside the first, "I'm done."

"What should we do?" Souta mused out loud.

"Well, we have two obvious choices- stay around here, or go somewhere else," Shippo said, drying his hands on the dishtowel. "And I don't know about you, but there's not much to do around here."

"Then we ought to go somewhere," Souta said. "Where? Somewhere in the Forest?"

"That's one option," Shippo said. "We could go to the river, or to the hot springs again," he said with a smirk, and Souta blushed. "We could go to the God Tree, though I don't know what we'd do there."

"Sit around and wait for a passing undead miko to pin us to it with enchanted arrows?" Souta said, making Shippo laugh heartily.

"Hahaha! No, that doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun to me," Shippo finally said. "If we went to the river we could go swimming.... I know where there's a pond, deeper inside the Forest. Nobody ever goes there but me...." He frowned slightly, remembering a lot of nights when a tiny kitsune had curled up in a ball on the shores of that pond, sobbing his little fox heart out, missing his parents.

"That sounds fun," Souta said with a grin. Then his smile faded slightly. "But...well, I did bring an extra pair of shorts, even if they aren't swim trunks," he said aloud to himself. He looked up at Shippo and grinned. "Wait for me here a moment, hey? I want to go grab some shorts to swim in."

"Shorts to swim in...?" Shippo looked confused.

"Yeah, obviously, I mean, I don't want to go skinny-dipping," Souta said with a wave of his hand.

"Skinny-dipping? What's...."

"Skinny-dipping," Souta explained with a sigh, "is swimming naked. In my time, when people go swiming, they wear something called a swim-suit. For boys and men, it's usually a special pair of shorts. Skinny-dipping is something most people don't do. About the only people who do would be wild kids, probably boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Boyfriend? What's that?" Shippo was more confused than ever.

Souta blushed lightly. "Well, it's, um, kinda complicated. In my time, before someone takes a mate, they usually will date the person...."

"Date?"

"It's like...going places, doing something together, having fun. It's a way of getting to know your, um, well, the person you like. To decide whether you like them well enough to mate them, and let them decide that about you. It's common to go out with- that means the same thing as date- lots of different people before you settle down with the one you want. A 'boyfriend' is the male date, while 'girlfriend' is the girl. Like, Inuyasha would have been Kagome's boyfriend before they were married, while she would have been his girlfriend. See?"

"I...think so," Shippo said slowly. Then he smiled innocently. "Would two boys ever go on a 'date' together?"

Souta coughed and blushed violently. "Uh, they could, if they were gay," he mumbled.

"Gay? You mean happy?"

"N-no, not really. In my time, 'gay' is a slang term for a homosexual..." Souta saw that this wasn't helping, and sighed. "Homosexual means you like, or love, people of your own gender. When men are homosexual, they're called 'gay,' and when women are homosexual, they're called 'lesbian.' It's not very nice to just call someone that, though; it's an insult, a lot of the time."

"Why?" Shippo asked, frowning cutely.

"Because a lot of people don't like gays and lesbians," Souta explained. "In many places and countries, it's seen as dirty or wrong to love someone of your own sex. So, calling someone 'gay', or 'faggot,' which is an even worse term that means the same thing, is like calling them dirty and wrong, or even...um, well, in a way, it's like how Inuyasha feels about being called 'hanyou.' When people call him that, it means they see him as inferior, not good enough. It's a derogatory term- just like 'faggot'. It doesn't mean the same thing, precisely, but the feeling behind it is the same. It's meant to hurt someone."

"But.... If a person was a 'homosexual,' then it wouldn't be an insult, right? Because it's true." Shippo was still having trouble with this concept.

"It's true, yes, but it's still hurtful. A lot of people think that a man who is gay is weaker or not as manly as a man who likes women. So calling someone a 'faggot, or 'fag,' is like saying he's weak and not-manly." Souta tried to push down the memories of having that name labeled on himself, tried not to remember the pain. He shook slightly from the effort.

"But being a man isn't the same thing as liking women." Shippo frowned.

Souta grinned at this. "You and I know that, but a lot of stupid people out there don't."

Shippo nodded, slowly. "So, if someone called me gay, it wouldn't really mean that they thought I liked other boys," he mused aloud. "It would mean they thought I was...girly?"

"Something like that," Souta said with a short laugh.

"I think I get it now," Shippo grinned. "I didn't know there was a word for it," he said. "A lot of kitsune are...well, not gay exactly, but they like mating with anybody, male or female. They don't usually distinguish, they just say that's 'the way kitsune are,' and laugh." He frowned lightly. "They're not very nice about it, either, come to think of it," he mumbled.

"Some attitudes never change," Souta sighed. "But it's not so bad, in my time, nowadays. A lot of people are more openminded about things like that. I wouldn't say that there isn't still a lot of discrimination- that's hatefulness, based on the fact that someone is different from yourself- toward gays and lesbians, but things are slowly getting better."

"Cool," Shippo said with a smile. "I guess it's not so bad to be gay then?"

"No, not that bad." Souta shrugged. "It's not bad to be gay- just...well, you get hurt more than someone who's not, because of the namecalling and the way some people will treat you differently."

"You're talking about this like it's happened to you," Shippo said suddenly, staring at Souta.

Souta slowly turned red. "Yes, well, that's my own business," he muttered unhappily.

"Then...you're gay?" Shippo was rather shocked at this thought. 'Souta...likes boys?'

Souta was silent for a long moment, but finally he admitted, "Yes, Shippo, I'm gay," in a soft voice. Then he looked sharply at the kitsune. "But you can't tell anyone. Especially not my sister. She still doesn't know, and I...." His voice trailed off.

"You're afraid she won't like you anymore when she finds out," Shippo said thoughtfully. Souta didn't reply, only stared down at the ground. "I don't think she would do that," Shippo told his friend. "She loves you, no matter whether you're gay or- what do they call the other way?"

"Straight," Souta supplied.

"Really? Weird...um, what I meant is that she'll love you just the same no matter what."

"I'd hate to find out you're wrong the hard way," Souta muttered.

"I think the way you're taking is the hard way," Shippo told him.

"Yeah, well, it's none of your business, anyway," Souta said harshly. Shippo looked at him, hurt, and the human boy sighed. "I'm sorry," he mumbled apologetically. "I didn't meant to sound that way. It's just that it's a...sensitive subject for me."

"I understand," Shippo murmured. "It's ok."

"Thanks," Souta muttered. "So, uh, you still wanna go swimming with me, now that you know I'm gay?"

Shippo was startled at the expression on Souta's face. He looked like he really expected Shippo to say no! Shippo frowned. "Of course I still want to go swimming with you," he said clearly. "You're my friend, Souta no baka. You're still the same Souta I've known. You were gay before, right? Just the fact that I know about it now doesn't make you a different person or anything!" He stared at Souta, and then smiled. "Go get your shorts to swim in."

"Ok," Souta said, smiling. He went back into the house.

Shippo thought about everything he'd learned, and decided that it made sense. Souta's dream during the night had indicated as much, though not so directly. And his reactions to seeing Shippo in his grown-up body for the first time. Shippo smiled, feeling pretty damn good about himself. 'Souta likes me!' he thought jubilantly. Then his face fell. 'But...what if he...what will he think when I tell him I like him too? What if he thinks I'm only saying it because he told me? I don't want him to get mad at me again....' He frowned, fretting about the other boy's possible reactions to his confession, and gnawed lightly on his lip.

"Shippo-kun," he heard Souta call from behind him, and turned to look at his friend, who held up two pairs of shorts. He grinned. "You can borrow these."

"Aww, but Souta-kun...!" Shippo protested halfheartedly, hiding a grin.

"None of your lip, young man," chided Souta with a chuckle. "I'm not going skinny-dipping with you just yet."

Both boys blushed, and stared at each other for a minute before bursting out laughing.

Souta gasped for breath, clutching his stomach. "You...should have seen the...look on your face!" he cried hysterically.

"You should have seen the look on yours!" Shippo said in reply, giggling incessantly. He was having trouble keeping to his feet.

"You looked like a little furry tomato!"

"You looked like you swallowed a lemon!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

Chapter Ten: Swimming Hole

Souta followed his friend through the Forest toward Shippo's special swimming hole. For once, they were not on the path; they were actually heading off on an almost perpendicular tangent to the path, heading into the underbrush. He still wore a silly grin, the memory of Shippo's startled face burned into his mind like an icon. He watched Shippo's tail swing as the younger boy walked in front of him, allowing himself to ignore the fact that he could never have the fox-demon and just enjoy the sight.

Shippo, on the other hand, was leading Souta toward his hidden thinking place without paying much attention. His mind was whirling with thoughts of Souta, both naked as he had seen the human teenager at the hot springs, and the way it had felt to be held by him while he was dreaming. He wanted Souta, that much Shippo knew. And he was almost positive that Souta wanted him, too. But was he willing to have a real relationship with the fox-spirit? To be more than just...boyfriends? Shippo was unsettled about the matter.

They arrived at the pond with little fanfare, just Shippo parting one last bush and stepping through into a clearing. Souta gasped as his eys drank in the beauty of the isolated spot. The sun shone down through the trees, glinting off the surface of the crystal-clear water. He could see fish jumping out in the middle, and hear birds twittering in the treetops. It was amazing.

"Wow...." he said softly, looking around at everything with wide eyes. "This place is...really beautiful, Shippo-kun. Thank you for bringing me here."

"It's my pleasure," Shippo said, smiling warmly at the other man. "This place has always been my secret retreat...I used to come here when I was very small, sit on the bank and watch the fish jump. Or the stars in the sky...." He sighed. "It's always been...my place, you know?"

"Yes," Souta said softly, his eyes now studying the kitsune's wistful face. "I'm so honored that you would share it with me."

Shippo blushed and grinned. "Well, if not you, then who?" He asked rhetorically. "You've been my closest friend for almost a decade."

Souta was startled by that. "Me? Really? But...we don't even get to see each other that much, and...."

"And...?" Shippo prompted.

"Well, I always figured you must have...other friends," Souta finished lamely. "People you knew better than me. I was never here enough...."

"You were here enough," Shippo said softly, his green eyes boring into Souta's. Then he grinned and turned toward the pond. "Come on, last one in the water is a rotten egg!" He got a running start, his tail flying out behind him like a flag.

Souta shouted and laughed, following his friend down to the water's edge. He struggled to get rid of his extra clothing, but despite having changed into his shorts before they left, he still wasn't as fast as the kitsune, who simply shucked his haori and dove in. Souta shook his fist at the laughing kitsune and pulled his shirt over his head, blushing as he remembered the trouble he'd had putting it on the first time.

Finally having divested himself of his non-swim wear, Souta started into the water, wading out toward Shippo who was diving and surfacing repeatedly like some demented dolphin. He chuckled at the kitsune's antics, and left his feet float up off the soft, squishy mud bottom of the pond. The water buoyed him up, and he swam toward the playful fox-demon.

Shippo stopped his diving to watch Souta swim. He swam...powerfully. His arms sliced through the water decisively, and Shippo could see the muscles moving beneath sleekly beneath his pale skin. He was entranced.

Souta reached Shippo in next to no time due to his upper arm strength (lord only knows where he gets it, seeing as how he's a runner, not a weightlifter) and pushed himself upright, letting himself float. Shippo had begun smoothing back his wild red hair, trying to hide his blush. "You're a pretty good swimmer," he said, trying to sound casual.

"Thanks," Souta replied with a grin. "I've always loved the water." He shrugged. "At school, I run on the cross-country team, but I used to want to be on the swim team. I decided to go with track...I don't know why."

"Hmmmm," said Shippo, not really understanding what Souta was referring to, but not curious enough to ask. He smiled slightly and let himself fall back into a floating position, gazing up at the bright blue sky, watching the clouds ambling across the sky. "I love this," he said, meaning more than just the peaceful glade and cool water.

"Yeah," Souta said with a sigh, allowing himself to roll back and let the water catch him. He floated beside Shippo, looking up and studying the curves of the branches that hung out over the water. "In my time," he began, speaking softly, "we don't really have a lot of places like this. It's one of the things I love about this era. The world is still so...clean, and unspoiled." He smiled faintly. "Pure...."

"It's also dangerous, and hard, and scary sometimes," Shippo softly reminded him.

"It only adds to the charm. The...joy of life...of living...when you don't know what will happen tomorrow. The...not-knowing." Souta shook his head. "My world is...predictable. Every day is just like the last. It's...suffocating. The routine...the same-old-same-old. Nothing exciting ever happens. Do you know how much I used to envy you, and my sister and the others? You got to have so many adventures...." His voice trailed off. He sighed deeply. "I wish I could have just one. Just one adventure of my very own...."

"Maybe..." Shippo said hesitantly, "if you had someone who could protect you, you could...I don't know, go wandering. Have your adventure. See the world...."

"If I had someone who could protect me," Souta said defeatedly. "I can't fight, myself. I would be useless in any combat situation...if we were attacked, the best I could do would be to hide. Who would want such a huge responsibility as looking after me?" He shook his head. "Besides, who do I know who could do it? My sis and Inuyasha and Sango and Miroku are all so busy raising children.... I don't know any other fighters."

"What about me?" Shippo said indignantly, swinging his feet down under him and looking at Souta.

"I...didn't think about you," Souta said slowly. He stared up at the sky, but he didn't see what his eyes were looking at. "I guess you could...but why would you want to do it? I mean, there would be no reward, no reason for it...it wouldn't be a 'grand quest' like you had with the others. And besides...haven't you had enough of wandering and fighting and all that already?"

"What do you mean?" Shippo asked, startled.

"You've already seen so much...been in so many battles. Slept on the ground and gone without food and faced death. I don't understand why you would want to go through it all again, especially without a reason." Souta flipped his feet down under him and started swimming toward the bank, tired of being in the water. Shippo followed him.

"If you think it was so horrible, then why do you want to see it for yourself so badly?" Shippo asked argumentatively.

"I don't know," Souta replied softly, wading up onto the shore. He sat down by the pile of clothing he had discarded earlier, using his shirt to wipe the pondwater from his face. He lay back on the grass and stared up at the tree branches overhead, vaguely tired and wanting to take a nap or something. "I don't know much of anything anymore," he murmured.

"That's not true," Shippo protested, seating himself on the grass beside his friend. "You know all kinds of things, about school and about skinny-dipping and about-"

"Ok, ok, so I do know some things," Souta cut him off with a smile. "But still...I've been so...aimless lately. I don't really know what I'm going to _do_ with my life. You know?"

"Kinda," Shippo admitted. "I felt that way for a while after Naraku was defeated. But then Kagome had Kagasha and I've been pretty busy with looking after him and the other kids ever since...." He lay down on his back, parallel to Souta, with a sigh. "I haven't had the time to feel aimless."

"At least you've been kept busy," Souta said lowly. "I've just been wallowing in my boredom."

"You know, I don't really feel like playing the 'my-life-is-worse-than-yours' game right now," Shippo said, deciding to cut off that conversation before he could get really depressed.

"Yeah, me neither," Souta said, which surprised and gratified Shippo. They lay there for a while in silence, listening to the birds singing in the distance, each lost in their own thoughts.

Shippo was debating in his head the merits of confronting Souta with the sleeptalking and his dream. If he did, then it would all be out in the open, there would be no more dancing around each other like they didn't want each other. There could even be...more. But it was also possible that the dream hadn't been a true indicator of Souta's feelings toward Shippo. If he asked him and Souta said he didn't want him.... Shippo would be crushed. If, on the other hand, Shippo said nothing, it could very well end up in a situation just like what Kagome and Inuyasha had gone through. Shippo had seen the effects of that on his 'kaasan' and her mate, and knew them to be particularly unpleasant. He didn't want either Souta or himself to go through anything like it.

Souta, on the other hand, was deep in thought about what it would be like to go on an adventure with Shippo. He could just imagine it...the two of them, alone, seeing the world and (probably) fighting bad guys. Maybe he'd have to ride on the kitsune's back again.... Maybe it would get really cold and they'd have to snuggle together for warmth.... Maybe.... Souta was blushing lightly at the thoughts running through his head, but he wore a smile anyway.

Shippo made up his mind. He was going to ask Souta, and he was going to do it now. He sat up and turned to face the other boy, a determined look on his face. He took a deep breath. "Souta? I have something I need to talk to you about."

Chapter Eleven: Confrontation

Souta looked over at Shippo, who had an uncharacteristically serious look on his face. Slightly worried, Souta sat up and turned to face the fox-demon, unconsciously mimicking his friend's posture. "What is it?" he asked softly.

"Souta...last night, you had a dream, and you were talking in your sleep. Do you remember your dream at all?" Shippo looked slightly nervous, which was mostly visible as a twitching of his ears.

"I..." Souta tried to think back, to remember his dreams. He vaguely recollected a feeling of warmth and comfort, and happiness. But he didn't remember anything beyond that. "Well, I remember that it was a good dream, but other than that, I don't recall anything."

Shippo looked slightly unhappy to hear this. His ears drooped noticeably. "...Oh. Well, that's ok. I guess I'll just have to ask this another way...." His green eyes clouded over for a minute as he thought, and then cleared. "Alright. And please be honest about this, because it's important. What would I think if I told you that I'm not straight, either?"

"I....uh...well, I'd probably...I don't know," Souta finally said. He was confused. "Are you telling me that?"

"...I just want you to know that it's not something I would say just because you told me about yourself earlier," Shippo eventually replied. "And that even though I still act like I did as a child a lot of the time, I'm not the same inside. I have a lot of grown-up thoughts and feelings now. I just don't know how to show them as well." Shippo felt the tips of his ears burning, and dropped his gaze from Souta's concerned face. "I know we've been friends for a long time, and I don't want anythng to come between us. But frankly, I find myself attracted to you, and I want to know if you would ever consider having me as your mate." Shippo smiled softly. "In human terms, I guess what I'm asking is...would you ever date me?"

"D-date y-you?" squeaked Souta. "I...uh...well.... Frankly, hell yes!"

Shippo's eyes widened. "You...said yes?"

"Yeah! Shippo, ever since I saw you laying naked by the hot springs I've been trying not to be attracted to you. It didn't work. I felt bad because we've been friends for such a long time but at the same time I've been wanting you so much and it's been really stressful and-"

"You're babbling," Shippo murmured, putting one finger against the other boy's lips to quiet him. "Stop it."

"Oh, kami-sama, you're hot," breathed the human boy.

"Hot?"

"Very, very attractive. Um. Well...."

"Well then, that's settled." Shippo sat up straight and smiled. "I guess I'm your boyfriend now, right?"

"I guess so," said Souta weakly.

"So....as your boyfriend...do I get to kiss you?" Shippo's green eyes had a strange glint in them.

"Y-yeah, that would b-be something a b-boyfriend would d-do," Souta stuttered, his mouth going dry.

"Can I do it now?" said the fox-spirit eagerly.

"You don't really have to ask," replied the teenager, blushing madly.

"Oh, really? Good!" Shippo smiled widely, reached out and grabbed his new boyfriend by the shoulders, and pulled him forward into a scorching kiss.

Souta found himself clutching the demon's shoulders, his heart racing, his breathrate going through the roof. "Um," he squeaked. "Wow."

"I liked that," Shippo said, a growl in his voice.

"I'm so glad," Souta said, and took the opportunity to initiate a kiss of his own- a gentler, tender kiss this time. His hands slid up into the kitsune's hair, and he felt himself dragged forward into the fox-demon's lap, a pair of strong arms encircling his waist.

"I liked that even more," said a highly aroused Shippo. "You smell so good," he murmured, burying his face against the skin of the human's neck. "So good," he repeated, licking at the boy's tender skin.

"Hnnnn," moaned Souta, his head falling back, allowing the kitsune better access to his neck. "Oh, Kami-sama," he cried as the kitsune nipped him lightly. His hands fisted in the other's wild red locks.

"Do you like that?" Shippo growled softly.

"More than is good for me, I think," Souta replied breathlessly. "What- what are you doing?"

"I don't know," Shippo replied, leaning back to look at his boyfriend's flushed face. "Do you want me to stop?"

"N-no," mumbled the human. "D-don't stop...."

"Hai...." Shippo breathed, and buried his face against the other boy's neck again. "Koishii...my koishii...."

"Shippo.... Oh, Shippo...." Souta closed his eyes, his mouth hanging open at the intense pleasure rushing through his veins.

"Souta...." Shippo was panting, his mouth and nose filled with the taste and scent of the aroused human. "Souta, we have to...I can't...it's too soon.... I don't want to do something you're not ready for yet...." He slowly pulled away from the other, green eyes glassy and unfocused.

"Are you ok?" Souta asked worriedly.

"Fine, koishii," replied the demon shortly, his eyes clearing as he got a breath of fresh air. He smiled softly. "You overwhelmed me," he murmured, one hand caressing the human's face. "When a demon takes a mate, he or she will often mark the mate by biting them on the neck. Little nips like I was giving you are one of the...ah, I don't know a word to call it. It comes before...it's like asking permission to mark you."

"Well, I don't think I'm quite ready for that," Souta said, eyes wide. "Um, thank you for...um...it felt nice," he finally said, blushing as red as the kitsune's hair.

"It's supposed to," was the demon's reply. "You taste very sweet."

"Hehehehe...thank you," giggled the human boy. "I, um, you're very...good at...um...kissing and...um...yeah."

"You're so cute!" Shippo giggled, and blushed.

"Ahhhh..." Souta turned his face away, his embarassment overwhelming him. "I really liked that kiss.... Maybe we could try it again...and not get carried away."

"Hai," Shippo murmured, and pressed his lips gently to the other teen's. A few moments later he leaned back, licking at his lips. "Um. I really, really like that."

"So do I," Souta replied. "Back in the water!"

"What?" Shippo's eyes widened as the human abruptly leapt up and raced down to the pond, diving into the water.

"Well, come on! What are you waiting for?" called a laughing Souta after he surfaced.

"R-right," Shippo said, and got up. Quickly he realized that he had a problem. "Uhh...." He shifted, the shorts Souta had loaned him uncomfortably tight. They hadn't been before....

"That's why I said back in the water, silly," called Souta, and Shippo's face burned. He walked into the water, where the cool temperature rapidly calmed him down.

"See?" Souta said with a giggle. "At home, when a guy gets...excited, people will tell him to 'take a cold shower.' Cold water makes it go away."

"I get it.... Souta.... You were..." Shippo's green eyes bulged.

"Duh, foxy. I told you I liked it, didn't I?" Souta grinned at the demon in a way that made the hairs on the back of Shippo's neck rise.

"Yeah, you did," murmured the kitsune, closing the distance between them. He pressed himself against the other boy's wet body, wrapping his arms around him. "Do you like this?"

"Ummmm...."

"I like this," purred the fox, and caught Souta's open lips with his own, kissing him hungrily.

"Mmmmmmm...." moaned the human, his arms clutching at the fox-spirit's shoulders. "Ahhh, Shippo, oh, um, you...you demon, you, oh, Shippo!" Souta tried to say between light, nipping kisses. "Shippo.... Let me go, Shippo-koi...."

"Hai...call me koi...I like it when you call me koi...." said the fox, licking at his partner's mouth gently. "Koishii...."

"Shi-ppo!" the human's voice broke as he felt something brush against his butt. "Oh, kami-sama...."

"It's so nice to have a tail," said a very happy fox-spirit. Souta threw back his head and laughed.


End file.
